A radio wave receiver includes a radio wave reception processor and a processor. The radio wave reception processor receives radio waves and obtains signals transmitted from positioning satellites. The processor sets reception start timing of the radio wave and controls the radio wave reception processor to start reception. The radio wave reception processor performs acquiring operation to acquire transmission signals from a number of positioning satellites necessary for computing a present position. After the acquiring operation, the radio wave reception processor obtains signals necessary for computing the present position from the acquired transmission signals in an obtaining time from an obtaining start timing to an obtaining end timing determined depending on a format according to the positioning satellite. The processor sets the reception start timing so that certain reception conditions are satisfied.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A radio wave receiver comprising: a radio wave reception processor which receives radio waves and obtains signals transmitted from positioning satellites from the received radio waves; and a processor which sets reception start timing of the radio waves by the radio wave reception processor and controls the radio wave reception processor to start reception, wherein, the radio wave reception processor performs an acquiring operation to acquire transmission signals from a number of positioning satellites necessary for computing a present position from the received radio waves, and after the acquiring operation, the radio wave reception processor performs obtaining operation to obtain signals necessary for computing the present position from the acquired transmission signals in an obtaining time from an obtaining start timing to an obtaining end timing determined depending on a format according to the positioning satellites; and the processor sets the reception start timing so that following reception conditions are satisfied, (i) a total power consumption amount of a power amount according to the obtaining operation and the obtaining time and a power amount according to an acquiring upper limit time from start timing of the acquiring operation by the radio wave reception processor to the obtaining start timing and the acquiring operation is equal to or less than a predetermined upper limit power consumption amount and (ii) the acquiring upper limit time is equal to or more than a predetermined reference time.
A radio receiver obtains signals from positioning satellites (like GPS). A processor sets the time to start listening for these signals. The receiver first does a quick scan ("acquiring") to find enough satellites to determine its location. Then, it precisely gets the location signals ("obtaining") from the satellites it found. The start time for listening is set so that: (1) the total power used for acquiring and obtaining signals is less than a limit, and (2) the acquiring scan has enough time to find satellites (more than a minimum time).
2. The radio wave receiver of claim 1 , further comprising, a counter unit which counts present date/time, wherein, the processor corrects the present date/time counted by the counter unit, estimates a error width of the present date/time counted by the counter unit, sets the reception start timing which satisfies the reception conditions even if there is an error in the present date/time within the range of the error width, and controls the radio wave reception processor to start reception based on the present date/time counted by the counter unit.
The radio receiver from Claim 1 also has a clock that keeps track of the current date and time. The processor adjusts this clock. It also estimates how much the clock might be wrong. The receiver sets the listening start time to work, even if the clock is off by the estimated amount. The radio wave reception processor starts reception based on the present date/time counted by the counter unit.
3. The radio wave receiver of claim 2 , wherein, in the reception condition, the reference time is set shorter as the error width becomes larger.
In the radio receiver from Claims 1 and 2, the minimum scan time gets shorter as the estimated clock error gets larger. This means if the clock is likely to be inaccurate, the receiver spends less time initially scanning for satellites.
4. The radio wave receiver of claim 2 , wherein, the processor estimates an error amount for each unit time of the present date/time counted by the counter unit and the error width of the present date/time based on elapsed time from when the previous correction of the present date/time is performed.
In the radio receiver from Claims 1 and 2, the processor figures out how much the clock drifts over time. Based on how long it's been since the clock was last corrected, it figures out how far off the current time might be. The estimation of error allows for adjusting the acquiring operation to suit the error range.
5. The radio wave receiver of claim 3 , wherein, the processor estimates an error amount for each unit time of the present date/time counted by the counter unit and the error width of the present date/time based on elapsed time from when the previous correction of the present date/time is performed.
In the radio receiver from Claims 1, 2, and 3, the processor figures out how much the clock drifts over time. Based on how long it's been since the clock was last corrected, it figures out how far off the current time might be. Because the minimum scan time is shorter when the potential error is higher (Claim 3), this clock drift estimation directly impacts the receiver's initial satellite scan duration.
6. The radio wave receiver of claim 1 , further comprising, a power supply which obtains a remainder power amount of a power source which supplies power to the radio wave reception processor, wherein, in the reception condition, the upper limit power consumption amount is changed and set according to the remainder power amount.
The radio receiver from Claim 1 monitors the battery level. The maximum allowed power usage for finding satellite signals is adjusted depending on how much battery is left.
7. The radio wave receiver of claim 2 , further comprising, a power supply which obtains a remainder power amount of a power source which supplies power to the radio wave reception processor, wherein, in the reception condition, the upper limit power consumption amount is changed and set according to the remainder power amount.
The radio receiver from Claims 1 and 2 monitors the battery level. The maximum allowed power usage for finding satellite signals is adjusted depending on how much battery is left. The estimation of time error and the power budget must both be taken into account.
8. The radio wave receiver of claim 3 , further comprising, a power supply which obtains a remainder power amount of a power source which supplies power to the radio wave reception processor, wherein, in the reception condition, the upper limit power consumption amount is changed and set according to the remainder power amount.
The radio receiver from Claims 1, 2, and 3 monitors the battery level. The maximum allowed power usage for finding satellite signals is adjusted depending on how much battery is left. Since the scan time is shorter with larger time error (Claim 3), the power used might also change based on estimated time error.
9. The radio wave receiver of claim 4 , further comprising, a power supply which obtains a remainder power amount of a power source which supplies power to the radio wave reception processor, wherein, in the reception condition, the upper limit power consumption amount is changed and set according to the remainder power amount.
The radio receiver from Claims 1, 2, and 4 monitors the battery level. The maximum allowed power usage for finding satellite signals is adjusted depending on how much battery is left. Because the time error is estimated (Claim 4), that estimation also influences the power limits.
10. The radio wave receiver of claim 5 , further comprising, a power supply which obtains a remainder power amount of a power source which supplies power to the radio wave reception processor, wherein, in the reception condition, the upper limit power consumption amount is changed and set according to the remainder power amount.
The radio receiver from Claims 1, 2, 3, and 5 monitors the battery level. The maximum allowed power usage for finding satellite signals is adjusted depending on how much battery is left. The processor estimates time error (Claim 5) and adjusts the scan time accordingly, thus, also influences the power limits.
11. The radio wave receiver of claim 1 , wherein, the radio wave reception processor computes the present position based on the obtained signals.
In the radio receiver from Claim 1, after getting the satellite signals, the receiver calculates its current location using those signals.
12. The radio wave receiver of claim 2 , wherein, the radio wave reception processor computes the present position based on the obtained signals.
In the radio receiver from Claims 1 and 2, after getting the satellite signals, the receiver calculates its current location using those signals.
13. The radio wave receiver of claim 3 , wherein, the radio wave reception processor computes the present position based on the obtained signals.
In the radio receiver from Claims 1, 2, and 3, after getting the satellite signals, the receiver calculates its current location using those signals.
14. The radio wave receiver of claim 4 , wherein, the radio wave reception processor computes the present position based on the obtained signals.
In the radio receiver from Claims 1, 2, and 4, after getting the satellite signals, the receiver calculates its current location using those signals.
15. The radio wave receiver of claim 5 , wherein, the radio wave reception processor computes the present position based on the obtained signals.
In the radio receiver from Claims 1, 2, 3, and 5, after getting the satellite signals, the receiver calculates its current location using those signals.
16. The radio wave receiver of claim 11 , further comprising, a counter unit which counts present date/time, wherein, the radio wave reception processor obtains local time information according to the computed present position and obtains local time according to the present date/time based on the obtained local time information.
The radio receiver from Claim 11 also has a clock. The receiver gets time zone information based on its calculated location and sets the clock to the correct local time.
17. A radio-controlled timepiece comprising: the radio wave receiver of claim 16 ; and a display, wherein, the processor displays on the display local time obtained by the radio wave reception processor.
A radio-controlled watch includes the radio receiver from Claim 16 and a display screen. The watch shows the local time that was determined by the radio receiver.
18. A radio-controlled timepiece comprising: the radio wave receiver of claim 11 ; a counter unit which counts present date/time; and a display, wherein, the processor controls the display to display the present date/time and information regarding a present position computed by the radio wave reception processor simultaneously or selectively.
A radio-controlled watch contains the radio receiver from Claim 11, a clock and a display. The watch display can show either the current date/time, location, or both.
19. A signal obtaining method which receives radio waves and obtains signals from a number of positioning satellites necessary for computing a present position, the method comprising: controlling reception by setting reception start timing of the radio waves and starting reception; acquiring with an acquiring operation to acquire transmission signals from the necessary number of positioning satellites from the received radio waves; and after the acquiring operation, obtaining with an obtaining operation to obtain signals necessary for computing the present position from the acquired transmission signal in an obtaining time from an obtaining start timing to an obtaining end timing determined depending on a format according to the positioning satellite, wherein, in the reception controlling, the reception start timing is set so that following reception conditions are satisfied, (i) a total power consumption amount of a power amount according to the obtaining operation and the obtaining time and a power amount according to an acquiring upper limit time from start timing of the acquiring operation in the acquiring to the obtaining start timing and the acquiring operation is equal to or less than a predetermined upper limit power consumption amount and (ii) the acquiring upper limit time is equal to or more than a predetermined reference time.
A method for getting signals from positioning satellites involves setting a start time for listening, then quickly scanning to find enough satellites, then precisely getting the location signals. The start time is set so that: (1) the total power used is less than a limit, and (2) the scan has enough time (more than a minimum).
20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon for controlling a computer of a radio wave receiver including a radio wave receiving device to receive radio waves, wherein the program controls the computer to perform the functions of: setting reception start timing of the radio waves by the radio wave receiving device and starting reception; performing acquiring operation to acquire transmission signals from a number of positioning satellites necessary for computing a present position from the received radio waves; and after the acquiring operation, obtaining with an obtaining operation to obtain signals necessary for computing a present position from the acquired transmission signals in an obtaining time from an obtaining start timing to an obtaining end timing determined depending on a format according to the positioning satellite, wherein, the reception start timing is set so that following reception conditions are satisfied, (i) a total power consumption amount of a power amount according to the obtaining operation and the obtaining time and a power amount according to an acquiring upper limit time from start timing of the acquiring operation to the obtaining start timing and the acquiring operation is equal to or less than a predetermined upper limit power consumption amount and (ii) the acquiring upper limit time is equal to or more than a predetermined reference time.
A computer program stored on a storage medium controls a radio receiver to receive radio waves. The program makes the receiver set a start time for listening for signals, quickly scan to find enough satellites, and precisely get the location signals. The start time is set so that: (1) the total power used is less than a limit, and (2) the scan has enough time (more than a minimum).
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 20, 2016
April 25, 2017
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.